The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which reinforces a perforated portion of a recording medium having an image formed thereon.
Some image forming apparatuses, such as a copying machine and a printer device, have functions of performing a process such as stapling or punching for recording paper having an image formed thereon. When stapling a relatively small number of recording paper sheets, the turned tip portion of the staple may break through the recording paper from the reverse face to the right face. In the meantime, since punched recording paper sheets are bundled with a string or a binder, the punched portion becomes more breakable over time.
In view of such circumstances, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-91283(1999) is a technique of attaching to the punched recording paper a reinforcing member for reinforcing the punched portion. Moreover, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-123098(1997) is a technique of attaching a reinforcing member around a punched hole of the recording paper while punching the recording paper with the formation of an image, in order to reinforce the punched portion of the recording paper and keep the same from being broken easily.
Both of the conventional techniques use a method of attaching a prepared reinforcing member to the recording paper in order to reinforce the punched hole. The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-91283 has a problem that it is troublesome since it requires operations of attaching a reinforcing member to each recording paper sheet. Moreover, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-123098 has a problem that it needs the reinforcing members to be prepared. Another problem thereof is that a plurality of bundled recording paper sheets take up much space since the thickness of each recording paper sheet is increased when the reinforcing member is attached thereto.